Cherokee County was created by the Alabama legislature on 1836 Jan. 9. It was named for the Cherokee Indians, who ceded the land that now comprises the county to the Federal government by the treaty of New Echota, 1835 Dec. 29.

Cherokee County is located in the northeastern portion of the state, in the Appalachian Mountains. Cherokee County encompasses 553 square miles. It is bordered on the north by DeKalb County, on the west by Etowah County, on the south by Calhoun and Cleburne, and the east by Chattooga and Floyd Counties, GA.

For the first ten years, the residents of Cherokee County quarrelled over the location of a county seat. In 1837, the AL legislature authorized the seat of county government to be established at Cedar Bluff. In 1844 an election was held and the county seat was moved to the town of Centre. Other towns and communities include Jamestown, Gaylesville, Forney, and Rock Run.

 

Etowah County

Etowah County was created by the Alabama legislature on 1866 Dec. 7, and was originally named Baine County in honor of Gen. David W. Baine, a Confederate soldier from Lowndes County.

The county was abolished on 1868 Dec. 1 by the Constitutional Convention and re-established on the same day, under the name of Etowah, which is from the Cherokee language.

Etowah county is located in the northeastern section of the state, in the southern Appalachians. It is bordered by Marshall, DeKalb, Cherokee, Calhoun, St. Clair, and Blount Counties. It currently encompasses 542 square miles. Sand Mountain and Lookout Mountain are located in Etowah County.

Gadsden is the county seat, named after Col. James Gadsden, distinguished soldier, diplomat, and railroad president. Other towns and communities include Attalla and Rainbow City.